Switch Feature: The Legend of Zelda and Breaking the Mold

Over six months after its release, Nintendo has proven that the Switch is the new driving force behind the video game company. Hardware and software sales continue on a high note as we enter into the holiday season. And now, it seems like we’re finally picking up steam with third-party support. While the Wii U was a solid entry in Nintendo's line, many factors caused it to have less-than-stellar sales around the world. And with that, Nintendo quietly swept the Wii U under the rug and quickly switched focus (pun intended). A smart move in marketing, Nintendo overcharged the hype train to the point that there have been console shortages of the Switch, much like the Wii in 2006. While the consumer fights to scoop up their own Switch, Nintendo plans to increase console production to meet this demand. I was one of the lucky few to get my hands on a Switch within the first couple weeks of its release.

So what has made the Switch such a hot seller? One reason may be the Nintendo's flagship series, The Legend of Zelda. Breath of the Wild released with the launch of the Switch on March 3, 2017 worldwide and immediately became the hottest title for the Switch. According to SuperData estimates, of the Switch consoles bought by consumers, about 89% percent of those consumers also purchased The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. That means that 9 out of 10 Switch owners have a copy of the new Zelda title. Of course, other factors may have played into that, including what other titles were available alongside Zelda at launch (or lack thereof). But the game's success isn't only because of Switch's launch. Reviewers are saying that this is best iteration of The Legend of Zelda since the release of Ocarina of Time in 1998, and from the first-hand experience with the game, I can see why.

Let me break it down for you. I knew going into this game that it was going to be a different experience. I was a little worried that it was going to stray too far from the Zelda formula. It was a bit concerning because this franchise is something that I grew up with. I started with A Link to the Past and Link's Awakening in the Super Nintendo/Game Boy heyday. Since then, I have grown with the series, as it established itself in the 3-D realm and expanded on that formula through the Gamecube and Wii life cycles.
Skyward Sword felt like the first attempt at a departure from said formula. With the addition of certain mechanics and motion controls, there was a bit of a learning curve. And from the feedback that I've seen, that departure was met with mixed emotions. Personally, I both loved and hated Skyward Sword for the direction they went. I loved the story, locations, characters, and exploration elements, but I absolutely hated the motion controls to the point where it felt like a chore every time I had to lift my Wii Remote and swipe it in a specific direction to deal damage to an enemy or solve a puzzle.

So, when the first details for Breath of the Wild trickled out in 2014, I had to be skeptical. Sure, I think what makes The Legend of Zelda great is that each iteration invites something new to the series, but sometimes it is such a departure that it feels like the core elements are being compromised. So, I held my breath and waited three long years as more information arose, until I pieced together my own conclusion from the first gameplay trailer that I saw: this was going to be Legend of Zelda: Skyrim. There were so many mechanics and overworld elements that overlapped that it was hard to not make the connection. Though, I praised the new game for taking the vastly open-ended approach, I wondered how this would change the heart of the series. Then the release came, coinciding with Nintendo Switch. March 3rd marked the release of the first console Zelda game in six years (not counting Hyrule Warriors). While the Switch sold like hotcakes, I opted to purchase the Wii U version of Breath of the Wild, while everyone fought over Nintendo’s new toy. I booted up the game and was immediately caught off guard. I was expecting to see the usual start screen, possibly with a glimpse of the fields of Hyrule and some whimsical tune to accompany the tone. Following that, I was expecting a prompt to select the file of the character that I named. Of course, it would be accompanied by an updated rendition of that fairy tune that is such a staple for the series. You know what I'm talking about. You can hear it in your head now. However, Nintendo threw tradition out the window and simply went directly into the start of the game. No button commands required. All of sudden, I’m hearing a voiceover calling out to Link. In this game, he is actually called Link, not ‘DeezNuts’ or whatever silly thing I decide to name the man in green. Speaking of green, don’t expect Link to don his staple green tunic and hat...at least not in the traditional sense.

Link wakes from a 100 year slumber, wearing nothing but some futuristic-looking boxers. Immediately, I took control of Link, after the voice told me that Hyrule needed saved (or something along those lines). So, I moved him forward and picked up this game’s big gimmick: the Shiekah Slate. And I mean ‘gimmick’ in the kindest way possible. Most Zelda games have one: an ocarina, a minish cap, a wind waker, etc. The plot of the the Zelda game is usually centered around this device, which manipulates elements around Link and helps him to advance through the game. The Sheikah Slate is no different.

I’m going to get this out of the way: the fact that the Sheikah Slate is designed around the Wii U gamepad is apparent. In fact, at one point, Breath of the Wild was supposed to be exclusive to the Wii U, incorporating the “second screen experience” into the game. All of that was scrapped when the game went multi-console. In fact, the Wii U version of the game doesn’t even use the second screen, other than when you don’t feel like playing on your television. I guess you could argue that the Shiekah Slate also looks like the Switch when you’re playing in portable mode with Joycons attached. But anyway, this doesn’t distract you from the game. I just wanted to point it out because I think it’s interesting how this game has evolved since its announcement. Once Link finds the Sheikah Slate, your next thought would be that Link dons his iconic green tunic and hat, right? Wrong. While previous games in the series dabble in changing clothes/armor for the right situation, BotW is the first game in the series to fully implement a mix and match armor system, where each piece of armor or clothing has its own unique stats and perks. At the beginning, Link digs out some old, ratty shirt and pants from chests near where he wakes. He only just begins to upgrade to better clothing when he gets off of the initial “tutorial” section of the map.

Once Link exited the cave, I was introduced to the new, larger Hyrule. What’s amazing is that this is only the tip of the iceberg. As I mentioned, what you initially explore is more or less a tutorial to get your feet wet. Not long out of the cave, you meet an elderly man who acts as your guide for how things work in BotW. Instead of being handed a sword and shield and sent off to the first dungeon, the game emphasizes that this iteration is about survival. You collect your weapons, shields, and bows from abandoned structures or defeated enemies, using those items to explore new areas or defeat stronger enemies that might have better tools to survive.

While not a new concept, BotW is the first in the series to offer a wide assortment of weapons for combat, mining, cutting down trees, etc. Keep in mind, there is now the addition of weapon durability, creating a limited use for each weapon in hand before it breaks. Initially, this reminded me of the system that’s used in the Dead Rising series. You pick up weapons to use until they start losing durability and break, thus forcing you to find a new weapon. Much like Dead Rising, you have several weapon slots to carry multiple weapons, shields, and bows, thus you need not worry about coming into a situation where everything breaks and you have nothing to defend yourself with. In fact, you’ll find that later in the game, you’ll have more weapons than you know what to do with (luckily, there is also the option to upgrade your weapon slots to hold more in your inventory). And later in the game, you’ll learn that temples (dungeons, etc.) have changed considerably. You are no longer left to explore large dungeons to find an item and defeat a boss to help you progress through the game. This system has been altered to be more open-ended, which is the basic theme of BotW. You are free to explore the world in any way that you wish (although some areas will prove to be a little more unforgiving near the beginning). Instead of massive elemental-themed dungeons, you are met with mini-dungeons, known as shrines. You can

explore them in any order that you choose, and they will become the primary way for you to increase your number of heart containers and your stamina wheel. Also, there are lots of them. Strewn all over Hyrule. Some harder to reach than others. While there are TECHNICALLY larger dungeons that progress the story, they are very different from previous iterations. These dungeons, know as Divine Beasts (you'll understand why as you progress), emphasize more on puzzles and using everything at your disposal to reach the end. Much like the rest of the game, they are much more open-ended and can be explored freely, leaving it to you to find the most efficient way to reach the end.

Each Divine Beast can be found on the far corners of the map. The process of getting to each area is probably the most linear part of the game. Link generally has to complete a series of tasks relating to whichever tribe or town is near each Divine Beast. In the most extreme cases, the tasks can be very...uh, unique.

Once you complete the required quests, a new path opens up to the Divine Beast, acting as a dungeon complete with its own puzzles and traps. Each dungeon is designed around your setting (desert, volcano, etc). The thing that I immediately noticed is that each dungeon is more puzzle-heavy than any previous Zelda title. By "puzzle-heavy", I mean that I felt like I actually had to put quite some thought into these puzzles.

Since you are no longer limited to using the dungeons item to solve most of its puzzles (there are no items to find in the dungeons...in the traditional sense), you have to use a combination of the skills that you already possess and rely on the physics of the dungeon to solve each puzzle. I felt like it was completely different experience than any of the previous games in the series. While refreshing, I couldn't help but miss the more traditional formula. However, that's only a personal preference. The system that they have implemented in BotW is still absolutely fabulous and refreshing.

Now, the thing that makes the puzzles really stand out in the game is that there are multiple ways to approach each puzzle. As I mentioned, you use the many skills that you already possess, meaning that there are several combinations of ways to attack any certain puzzle. Sure, there's (generally) a more obvious way to solve it, but that doesn't mean you are limited to using that specific approach.

The new approach to the entire Zelda formula means that the game really steps away from the tradition in the 3-dimensional gameplay that was established in Ocarina of Time. And while I love the traditional take that is hard rooted in each game, it's so nice that this iteration broke the shackles of tradition and opened itself up unlimited possibilities. Basically, if you can think it, you can do it.

I will most definitely be returning to Breath of the Wild in the future, likely when The Champions' Ballad finally releases. Stay tuned for more in the Zelda universe.